


Lyrium Addict

by Relyc



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Comfort, F/M, Lyrium withdraw, inquisitor is facing own battle
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-20
Updated: 2017-02-20
Packaged: 2018-09-19 04:21:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9418442
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Relyc/pseuds/Relyc
Summary: Cullen is facing withdrawal after the Inquisitor forced him to continue to not take the lyrium after he had hopes to quit it. The pain and struggle was hard to endure and to face, but only the Inquisitor was able to offer a helping hand.





	

Cutting Cullen off of lyrium was the hardest thing to do since becoming the Inquisitor.

_Give or take._

You had to deal with so many things along the way, but never when dealing with someone so close to you and to the extent of having to watch him daily suffer through an addiction that had once consumed him. It almost made you regret telling him to stay away from it, if you hadn't known the outcome for those addicted to lyrium. You'd rather have him fighting it rather than being there to watch his funeral that would come too soon.

"Cullen- you need to calm down"

You watched in slight worry, eyes wide and watching every moment, as anger got the best of him. This was not a side he showed often, at least not in the sense of pure upset and rage- minor anger in Inquisition duties was not uncommon. He was a raging mess right now in his office- or was raging mess an understatement? Things were thrown all over the place and when you first walked in you almost tripped on a book that had once been on his bookshelf. Being distracted by the mess on the floor, you even almost got hit by one before he realized he was no longer alone. When Culen did, his honey brown eyes got big, yet they showed the signs of many sleepless nights.

"Inquisitor-"

Cullen's voice is a bit weak, likely from yelling, and an undertone of desperation for something to ease the pain of withdraw. Your hands raise in a slight protective manner, slightly calming, as one foot begins to step forward and then a next in hopes to get closer to him to help.

"Cullen, everything will be okay"

Before you can step again, he raises one hand in a frantic nerve-laced gesture. That alone causes you to pause up and halt.

"Do- do not come closer"

Your chest tightens the instant Cullen speaks with such a tone. This time, he spoke weaker with hurt latching onto each word and the expression of his eyes showing fear. This wasn't the original man you knew at the start before the Inquisition was officially formed. However, that did not matter. You hadn't fallen for him for just that, you fell for him because of everything that made him. This was just one small thing.

"I am here, you know that"

Taking a light breath, you step closer and try to keep yourself from showing the worry swirling inside; he needed someone else to be stable and showing what you felt was not going to help. His defensive nature slowly falls and you take the chance to get just a few inches from him, your eyes looked up at him with hope. Steadily, you reach out and grab hold of his faintly trembling hands with your own that help hold his gauntlet-wearing ones still. Cullen's un-groomed face peeks down at you nimbly: confusion on why you are holding his hands so suddenly.

Softly you smile and pull his hands closer, tugging his whole body closer as well.

In a swift motion, you remove your hands from his and move them to hold onto his waist. Both of the bodies were close, enough for your head to rest against his armor-clad chest. Holding him in this embrace, you feel his heart thumping rapidly within his chest. The smile fades from your face and you look up with the worry finally showing- were you just making matters worse? As you do such, however, his hands hold securely onto you pulling you forward a bit more.

Under his breath, he faintly murmurs 'Maker' right before you feel the weight of his head resting on yours.

"Thank you Inquis....love"

Cullen gives a delicate squeeze and eases up on you, but when he gives you a chance to look up, his eyes are watching you with a burning questionable emotion in them.

"After all that you've seen...why do you still desire to follow the Templar path?"

The sudden question surprises you enough to take a small step back. This wasn't something you thought would be brought up right now. The way Cullen's face changes shows that he hadn't meant to have you taken back by this.

"No, Maker I-"

"I did it help protect those who need it"

You smile faintly at Cullen.

You  _had_ done it to protect those around you, both magic and non-magic users. That was before you knew the side effects that came with taking lyrium needed to become a Templar- if you had known sooner you might have gone a different path- yet now it was too late for any regrets. However, one of the main reasons you were persuaded to take that path as a warrior was because of so much admiration you had for Cullen.

**If only you had known you'd end up like him: struggling through an addiction that was taking your life.**


End file.
